A staple for alpine rock, light and fast mixed climbing, ski touring and all things mountain, the men's Patagonia soft-shell Simple Guide Pants deliver in every condition. They’re the lightest stretch-woven alpine climbing pants. The polyester (100% recycled)/spandex double-weave blend stretches with your every stride, stays durable but lightweight, moves sweat, is now more breathable and still resists weather with a Deluge DWR (durable water repellent) finish. The styling features an updated, more technical tapered fit in the lower legs, a 2-way zippered fly and a partially elasticized waistband. Other details include articulated knees and a gusseted crotch for mobility, and DWR-treated reverse-coil zippers on the pockets: two front, one thigh and one rear hip.

I purchased these pants to be my all-around backcountry pant for colder weather trips, and so far they fit the bill. Earlier this summer, I took them on a ten-day backpack through the White Mtns. of New Hampshire instead of rain pants/wind pants, and they got the job done. It rained a lot, and these pants kept my legs warm when I needed it. Like any pants in extended wet weather (rain pants included), however, these pants definitely have their saturation point, and they get a lot heavier when they are soaked.

Overall, they are well designed ("simple" indeed) in their cut and especially in the pockets, and I assume they will be durable over the years (although I can't speak for that since I've only taken them on this one trip so far).

If you buy these online, be aware that they are designed for "alpine climbing," so even though you can wear them on cooler summer adventures, the fabric thickness is designed more for cooler to cold weather. This makes them a bit heavier than say a lightweight summer pant, (these pants are certainly not "ultralight"). I will probably end up using them more for cold weather activities like skiing or winter climbing.

One last thing: I got the medium, and I'm a 32 x 32 and they felt a little looser than I would prefer—they were sagging without a belt despite the elastic in the back. I tried the small elsewhere, though, and they were definitely too tight in the crotch.

Overall, if you are looking for a tough pair of pants for the backcountry, these are a solid choice. I definitely recommend them.